Valve mechanism



July 30, 1 929. E. w. JONES ET AL 1,722,799

' I VALVE MECHANISM Original Filed June 18 2 7'0 FUEL SUPPL X &2

34 34 4:; T 3' immunun fi W Hi? '17 MW" 55., 4

Patented July 30, 1929.

UNETEE STATES:

Parent tries.

EARL W. JONES, LEE B. JONES, AND ROBERT G. BATTIN, OF EVANSVILLE,INDIANA,

ASSIGNORS TO SUNBEAIVI ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF EVANSVILLE,INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

VALVE MECHANISM.

Application filed June 18, 1921, Serial No. 478,668. Renewed December 6,1928.

Our invention relates to valve mechanisms and it has especial relationto such mechanisms which are employed in connection wlth internalcombustion engines.

More particularly our invention relates to valves governing the supplyof fuel to the cylinder of an internal combustlon engine and has for itsobject to provide a device wherein the valve is operated entirely by thedifference of pressures on its outer and inner faces, or, in otherwords, by the pressure difierence between the outside and inside of theengine-cylinder. In this connection we make use of the difierentpressures which usually occur in the inlet manifold of an enginebyreason of the varying amounts of fuel which are supplied thereto whenthe load carried by the engine increases or decreases, a valve in thefuel supply pipe being employed to govern said fuel supply in accordancewith the load carried.

A further object of our invention is to so arrange a plurality ofvalves, operating in the above manner, in combination with the igni tionpoints of a spark plug, that the air drawn through said valves, andespecially through that valve which is operated continuously during therunning of the engine, operates to scavenge or clean the localityimmediately adjacent to the ignition points. To that end we so form acylinder and the space adjacent thereto that an ignition pocket orspace, into which the ignition points of the spark plug project, isestablished, this pocket being, of course, in direct communication withthe cylinder. In this structure the ignition pocket. is always filledwith live gas just prior to the spark whereby extremelyrapid propagationof the flame is obtained and a highly satisfactory explosion results. y

The use of a plurality of valves insures the maximum inlet area togetherwith a very short stroke by each valve piston. A small amount of energyis needed, therefore, in contra-distinction to that required wereitnecessary to overcome theinertia of one large valve, giving an equalvalve opening. The net resultof the desirable factors enumerated andobtained with a plurality of valves, is high speed operationand rapidfunctioning with substantially no vibration, noise or other difficultiesusually attendant upon such operation. It is our experience that a speedof 3600 R. P. M. can easily be obtained with the structure hereinafterto be described.

The inlet manifold extends'directly over the aforesaid pocket andcylinder and the valves themselves aremounted in the wall between saidmanifold and the cylinder and pocket, one valve being mounted directlyover the pocket whereas the positioning of the other one is arranged aswe shall hereinafter describe.

The above positioning of the plurality of valves which we find itdesirable at times to employ, is contributory to another advantage whichis secured by the use of my im proved valve mechanism. That is, it ispossible to employ any desired number of valves and to so associaterestraining springs of different strengths with the pistons thereof thatsaid valves open at difiierent pressure difi'erences wherebytheysuccessively come into operation in an entirely automatic manner as saidpressure difference increases, or as above indicated, as the load on theengine, of which said valve mechanism is a part, increases.

In the hereinafter described embodiment of our invention, we haveillustrated the mechanism as embodying two valves only but it is obviousfrom the foregoing statement that any number over two may be used andthe spring strengths so adjusted that the desired results are obtained.7

For a better understanding of our invention, reference may be had to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational, sectional view of only so much of an internalcombusionengine as is necessary for a clear'understanding of theoperation of a deviceembodying our improved valve mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a plan sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevational, sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2;and

Fig. 4: is an elevational, sectional view of a modified form of valvestructure embodying 7 our invention.-

While the valve mechanism, which we shall hereinafter describe and claimis of such character and so operated that it may be util ized in anyprime mover of the above de- 7 members 33, said ports projecting throughsame as employed in connection with an engine of the type illustrated ina co-pending application of ours, filed June 18, 1921, Serial No.478,665, and assigned to the$5unbeam Electric lVIanufacturing Companyand reference may be had to said application if a more detaileddiscussion of said engine is desired.

In the present instance, we show a portion of a casting which is formedto provide cylinder 11 surrounded by a cooling chamber space 12, apiston 13 being shown as reciprocating in the said cylinder portion 11.An upper wall or top of the casting 10 closes the cylinder 11 and apocket 15 which is formed in the casting 1O transversely to the left of,and in communication with, the cylinder portion 11. A spark plug 16, orother ignition device, is disposed in the side wall of the castingwhereby the ignition points thereon project into the pocket portion 15.

An exhaust manifold 17 leads from the pocket portion 15 and the cylinder11,and is adapted to be placed in communication with the same by theoperation of an exhaust valve 18 which is reciprocated by a valve rod19. v

Another casting 20 is bolted to the casting 10 in such manner that anintake manifold 21 is formed by the top of the casting 14 and a cap-likeportion 22 of the casting 20, it being observed that a supply passage 23is formed in the casting 10 and communicates with said manifold. o havediagrammatically indi cated a supply pipe 24 for feeding fuel to theintake passage 23 and the manifold 21 and have moreover shown. a valve25 of the buttel-fly type as positioned in said supply line whereby thesupply of fuel passing therethrough and, consequently, the pressurethereof in the manifold 21 is governed bythe opening and closing of saidvalve. The open ing and closing of the valve 25 is governed inaccordance with the load imposed upon the engine but it is possibletogovern the fuel supply in accordance with other functions of theapparatus if desired. y

Valve cages 26 and 27 are disposed in the wall 14 and are prevented.from moving the cages from the outside thereof into chambers wherebysubstantially theentire inner faces of the valve pistons are subjectedto the fluid pressure in the intake manifold.

Caps 86 are secured to the tops of the valve rods 31 and 32 and betweensaid caps and the outer portions of the cages sprin s o7 and 37 arepositioned, the latter restraining the downward movement of the valvepistons.

These springs are of different strengths, the one cooperating with thepiston 29 being lighter than that one associated with the piston 30.Because of this difference in spring restraining power, the left handvalve piston 29 may be moved downwardly more easily than the piston 30.The left hand valve, or that one positioned over the pocket 15, may bedesignated the normal duty valve. This valve functions continually whilethe engine is running by reason of the strength of the spring associatedtherewith and conse quently a stream of incomingfluid' is passingsubstantially continuously through the aforesaid pocket and sweepingover and through the ignition chamber and around the ignition pointstherein. The other or heavy duty valve is positioned directly over thecylinder whereby the fluid fed .therethrough passes directly into saidcylinder.

Because of the particular positioning of the above described elementsand also because of the sweeping of the gas through the ignition pocket,the mixture in the combustion chamber is quite homogeneous. If any deadgas remains in the space above the pistons it is forced down on top vofthe pistons by the inrushing gas, the latter filling the space above thepistons with a homogeneous mixture of l1ve gas through which anextremely rapid flame propagationis obtained after the.

said flame is initiated in the ignition chamher. 1 Asa matter of fact,the dead gas which is forced down on top of the pistons and therecompressed 1s, in one way, advantageous since such gas is quite aneflicient heat insulating medium and, at the same time, limits the flamepropagation, whereby said'pistons are protected.

From theabove statement it isapparent that through the utilization oftwo or more valves of the above described type, streams of fuel may bedirected to various points in an engine cylinder at various points onthe load curve of said enginefsaid streams as well'as the intensitythereof being governed entirely by the'load on said engine. Y 7 I iAnenlarged shoulder portion 88 is formed on the rods 31 and 32 wherebythe downward motion of said valve rods and pistons is lim-- centralportion'thereof whereby the cages themselves are firmly retained inposition, as shown. s a

This yoked member is secured to the wall 14: by a bolt 40 through theHaving described one embodiment of our invention the operation thereofis as follows, it being assumed that when the engine is not running thedifference in pressure between the outside and inside of the cylinder isequal to substantially zero and, asabove described, that the springwhich restrains the downward movement of the valve positioned directlyover the ignition pocket is of such strength that the same opens toadmitfuel wherever an appreciable difference in pressure exists between thefluid in the inlet manifold and that within the cylinder itself. Theother valve, having a restraining spring of greater strength, is notopened until a greater pressure difierence exists.

Upon the first down stroke of the piston the above appreciabledifference will exist, it be ing assumed that whatever governing meansis employed to open and close the supply line valve is functioning toadmit a predetermined amount of fuel, and the light-spring or normalduty valve opens. The fuel, therefore, passes first into the ignitionpocket and thence into the cylinder. At the proper time, the fuel isignited by the spark passing between the spark plug points and, upon thenext suction stroke of the piston, the incoming {fuel sweeps through theignition pocket and around the ignition points and contributes to theabove-discussed advantages. As the load upon the engine increases theamount of fuel supplied to the inlet manifold likewise increases andwhen a predetermined pressure is reached therein, the Valve to theright, or what we have hereinbefore described as the heavy duty valve,opens, first to a small extent and finally upon extreme loads to thelimit set by the contact between the collar 36' and the top of the guide33. In other words, as the pres sure difference between the outside andinside of the cylinder becomes greater, the valves successively comeinto operation, it being understood that while we have only illustratedtwo valves in the hereinbefore described embodiment of our invention itis entirely possible, and may at times be found desirable, to have anumber of these valves provided with springs of different strengthswhereby they will successively come into operation at the desiredpressure differences.

In Fig. 4, we have illustrated a modified form of valve mechanismembodying our invention. In this particular structure the two valves arecombined into one structure whereby a device which, under somecircumstances, may be preferable to that hereto-fore discussed isobtained.

A valve cage 41 is analogous to that described in connection with theprevious embodiment of our invention, the same having a centrallylocated guide portion 42 through which a stem 43 of a valve member 44passes and in which the same slides. Ports 45 are arrangedcircumferentially around the portion 42 and a spring 46 opposes thedownward movement of the valve member 44.

In the present embodiment of our invention, however, the member 44 isprovided with a series of ports 44 which are arranged around the stem 43and which open into a space 44 having a lower chamfered surface 44. Thestem43 is hollow and a stem 47 car rying a piston or port controllingmember 48 passes therethrough and slides therein. It will be'observedthat the member 48 is held in closedposition by a spring 49 interposedbetween the top of thestem 43 and the top of the stem 47 and that saidmember 48 is normally restrained in such position that the ports 44 areclosed. Further, it should be noted that the spring 49 is, as heretoforede scribed, of a less strength than the spring 46.

The operation of the combined concentric valve structurejust described,is analogous to the operation of the mechanism when two separatestructures are utilized. Under light load conditions the member 48 movesdown wardly while the member 44 remains tightly closed. Fuel then passesthrough the ports 45 and through the ports 44 into the cylinder. When,however, the pressure difference increases, as the load increases, themember 44 moves downwardly against the restraint of the spring 46 and anadditional amount of fuel is admitted by reason of the larger area ofthe openings 45, the fuel now passing into the cylinder around the valve44.

, From the above description it will be seen that we have providedvalves and governing mechanism for an internal combustion engine wherebythe former are responsive in an entirely automatic manner to the loaduponsthe engine, without the intervention of a complicated valvegoverning system comprising rods, cams and otherwise. Moreover, by theparticular positioning of such valves, we have ensured'the continualcleaning of the ignition chamber and the spark plug points thereinwhereby the difficulties usually {attendant upon the use of such devicesare substantially eliminated. Furthermore, the dead gas is shoved awayfrom the pocket whereby the latter can be filled with a live,homogeneous T i mixture through which a rapid flame propagation takesplaces.

Again, we believe that the idea of having a valve of such constructionthat it automatically opens at the proper time by reason of the pressuredifference, above discussed, is entirely novel. The provision of such avalve ensures a smooth steady operation of the engine because itinherently follows the piston positions in the same manner as if apositive connection existed therebetween.

While we have described but two embodiments of our invention it will beunderstood, as'above pointed out, that we do notwish to limit ourselvesto the form described and we desire, therefore, that our invention bebroadly interpreted and limited only by the scope of the appended claimand by the showing another valve whereby they may pass fluid in onedirection only, the light spring or normal-duty valve being operative atall times and the heavy spring of heavy-duty valve being operative onlyon increased loads. 7

In Witness whereof We have hereunto subscribed our names.

EARL W. JONES.- LEE B. JONES. ROBERT G. BATTIN.

